Skinfold Thickness Measurement
Skinfold thickness measurement uses calipers to measure the layer of fat just beneath the skin at several body sites, giving an estimate of body fat percentage.
Plain English
Patient-Friendly Explanation
Skinfold thickness measurement uses calipers to measure the layer of fat just beneath the skin at several body sites, giving an estimate of body fat percentage. A clinician gently pinches the skin at standard places such as the upper arm, shoulder blade and waist. The readings are entered into a formula to work out how much of your body is fat.
Medical
Clinical Definition
Skinfold thickness measurement quantifies subcutaneous adipose tissue using calibrated calipers at standardised anatomical sites — commonly the triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac regions in the Durnin–Womersley method, or three- and seven-site protocols in the Jackson–Pollock method. Body density is estimated from prediction equations and converted to percent body fat using formulae such as Siri's equation. The technique is inexpensive, portable and radiation-free, but its accuracy depends on technician skill, caliper quality and the population-specific validity of the equations, and it is less reliable in severe obesity; it is best used to track within-person change over time.
Key Insight
Why It Matters
The scale cannot tell the difference between fat lost and muscle lost. Simple checks such as skinfold measurement help confirm that the weight coming off is fat while muscle is preserved.
Sources
Reviewed against standard medical references.
Medically reviewed by
Family Physician & Registered Acupuncturist, Accord Medical Clinic. MBBS (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine (NUS), Graduate Diploma in Acupuncture (Singapore College of TCM).
Last reviewed: September 2026
This page is general health education, not medical advice. Whether any treatment is appropriate for you is a decision made in consultation after assessment.
